Clock operating mechanism



Aug. 1.1, 1931. H. lGILLVETTE cLocx OPERATING uizcamsu Filed Nov. 15,'` 1929 Patented Aug. 11, 1931 UNITED STATES HABLEIGII GILLIITTE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS croci: OPERATING MEoHANIsM Application ledrNovemlieT 15, 1929. Serial No. 407,488. n

This invention relatesto improvements in clock operating mechanism and more especially such mechanismusing electricity asa sourceof power.

One of the features of my invention is the provision ofsuch apparatus that is eliicient and reliable.' My improved mechanism is so made that a weight .may be employed for driving the clock work, a solenoid being .10 used for intermittently raising the weights.

The use ofa main driving spring istherefore not required. y

Other features and advantages of myy in vention will appear more fullyas I proceed with my specification.

In that form of device embodying the featuresofmy invention shown in the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation, Fig. 2 is aview kin side elevation7 and Fig. 3 is a fragmentary viewy showing the parts in altered positions.

As shown in the drawings, the mechanism may be mounted on a supporting board or panel 10, made of insulating material.

11 indicates a rotary driven lshaft provided with a control escapement 12 of the usual form'. The shaft l1 maycarry aA gear 13 Vdriving :another gear 14`which may in turn operate the clock hands (not shown) through suitable gearing (not.shown).y

15 indicates a' vertically reciprocable shaft Or bar carrying a weight 16 urgingthe same downwardly. f

A wheel and ratchet driving connection is provided so that reciprocations of the member. 15 willrotate the shaft 11. `This driv. ing'connection includes the toothed wheel 17 carried bythe shaft -11 and the swinging lever 18 provided with the springdog or pawl 19 operating on the teeth of the wheel 17. One end of the lever 18 is pivoted on the shaft 11 and the free .end is attached to the bar 15 by the two springs 20 and 21. 22 indicates another spring pawl or dog operating on the teeth of the wheel 17 to prevent reverse rotation thereof. Downward movement of the. b'ar 15 drives the I wheel 17 in the direction indicated by the arrow and the pawl 19 rides'over the teeth 5@ when the bar l5 moves. upwardly.

The bar 15 carries on its upper end asolenoid armature 23 controlled by the solenoid 24. When the solenoid is energizedthe bar 15 is drawn upwardly.

Means are provided for alternately making and breaking the electric circuit through the'solenoid so that the bar 15 will be reciprocated. 25, 25 indicate the electric supply wires connected to any suitable source of potential (not shown). There is provided a toggle mechanism with a part adapted to be engaged by parts on the reciprocable member 15 to throw said toggle mechanism back fandforth to make and break the circuit through the solenoid. The toggle mechanism includes the bent or bellcrank lever 26 pivoted at 27.k v28 indicates a spring having one endattached to the lever 26 at 29 and the other end fastened at 30. The sprin 28 lies very nearly over the pivot .point2 so that it willA snap the lever 26 to one side,

as af toggle operates, if the lever is pushed vover the dead center. The upper'end of the lever 26 is adapted toy engage a stop 3-1 to limit the movement in oney direction. The lowerend of the bent lever 26 carries ay fibreA .projection 32 adapted to be engagedfby parts on the bar 15 to throw the lever 26 back and forth.; As the bar 15 descends the projection 32v is engaged by the collarl 33 to'v swing thelever 26 in a clockwise direction to a position as indicated in'Fig. 3. In this position ,the circuit is closed by contact of the upperend of theV lever 26 lwiththe con?"z tact piece 34 carried by the bar 15.v As soon as this occurs the solenoid is energized and the armature 23 lifted. Inl the upward movement of the bar 15,;'the fibre-collar 35 f carried thereby strikes theupper end ofther i lever 26 with suliicient forceto throwit over the dead center intov the position shown in.

Fig. 1. This opens the circuit. f The weight then slowly draws the bar- 15 downwardly operating the clock until the collar 33 again.l

engages the fibre 32 to close the switch the operation isrepeated. y

The electric circuit is taken fromone of f the wires 25 through-the wire 36,- thence throughthe coil and thence by the wire 37d.-

tO the Supportlfor-the lever 26. The other 2 and Wire 25 is connected by the wire 39 with the guide 40 in which the bar 15 is mounted.

'The bar 15 serves as a conductor from this guide to the contact piece 34. In order to insure a better contact between the part 10 and the bar 15, these may be electrically connected by a flexible conductor 41.

It is to be noted thatthe Contact piece 34 carried by the bar 15 is elongated so that the upper end of the lever 26 will make a sliding Contact therewith. By this construction, the contacting parts are kept clean. y

be seen that by providing this sliding contact, a connection is surely obtained. In the event that because of dirt, corrosion or otherwise, there should not immediately be a contact when the upper end of the lever 26 strikes member 34, this sliding and rubbing friction will clean the parts to provide a good electrical contact asthe 'friction continues, even though a perfect contact 1s not made at the very start;V After the contact is made, thebar 15 will be drawn upwardly and it will be seen that the endv ot the lever 26 and the Contact piece 34 again rub during this upward movement, thus again serving to clean the parts so that when the circuit is again to `be closed, a good contact will be made.

Briefly, the operation ot the mechanism i is as follows. VThe weight 16 slowly de- Gili scends,'thus operating the clock mechanism. When the collar 33 engages the part 32, 1t throws the arm 26 into contact with the strip 34. "This energizes `the solenoid and pulls the weight up.V This upward movement of theweight causes the collar 35 .to strilethe upper end of the lever 2G with suiiicient force to throw the toggle back into the pos1 tion shown in Fig. 1, thus breaking the contact.

While l have shown and described cer tain embodiments of ymy invention, it is to be understood that it is capable oi' many modifications.

without departing'from the spirit and scope ot' my invention as disclosed in the appended claims;` in which it is my intention .to claim all novelty inherent in my invention as broadly as possible, in view of the prior art.

What I regard as new, and desire to se- Cure by Letters Patent, is:

1. Clock operatingr mechanism, including; a rotary driven member; a reciprocable driv- Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made ing member; a driving connection between said members; a weight attached to the reeiprocable member urging the same in one direction; a solenoid adapted to urge the reciprocable member in the other direction when energized; an elongated contact piece carriedV by the Vreciproc'able member; a toggle lever mounted adjacent the reciprocable member; a part on the toggle lever adapted to be engaged by a part on the reciprocable member as the same is moved by the weight to snap one end of the toggle lever into engagementwith the elongated contact piece y on ther reciprocable member; and an electric circuit through the solenoid adapted to be made by contact between 'said end of the toggle lever and said elongated Contact piecev carriedby the reciprocable member. A

2. Clock operating mechanism, including; a rotary driven member; a reciprocable driving member; a driving connection betweenl said members; a weight attached to the reciprocable member urging the same in onev direction; a solenoid adapted to urge the reciprocable member in the other direction when energized; an elongated contact piece carried by the reciprocable member; a movable member mounted adjacent the reciprocable member; a contact piece on the movable member; a part on the movable member adapted to be engaged by a part on the reciprocable member as the same is moved by the weight to move the Contact piece on the movable member into engagement with theV elongated' contact piece on thercciprocable member; and an electric circuit through the solenoid adapted to be made by contact between said contactv piece on the movable member and said elongated contact piece Y carried by the reciprocable member.

. 3. Mechanism as claimed in claim 1, with means operated by the solenoid to move the: end ofthe Atoggle lever outoii engagementA with the elongatedcontact pieceon the reciprocable member.

' 1. Mechanism as claimed in claim 2, wit-h `means operatedby thesolenoid to move thecontact piece on the movable member out or' engagement with the elongated contact piece on the reciprocable members.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 8th day of November, 1929.

' HARLEIGH GILLETTE. a

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